Ambrose receives contract extension from Towson

Tony Gutierrez, Capital Gazette

Towson head coach Rob Ambrose signals to his team in the second half of the FCS championship NCAA college football game against North Dakota State, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, in Frisco, Texas. NDSU won 35-7. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Towson head coach Rob Ambrose signals to his team in the second half of the FCS championship NCAA college football game against North Dakota State, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, in Frisco, Texas. NDSU won 35-7. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (Tony Gutierrez, Capital Gazette)

Head coach Rob Ambrose, who led the Towson University football team to the NCAA FCS championship game, has agreed in principle to new contract terms that will extend his tenure as the Tigers' coach through the 2020 season, it was announced by Director of Athletics Tim Leonard on Wednesday.

"What a great day for Towson University and the future of the football program," said Leonard. "Rob will be a Towson Tiger for a long time. We are fortunate the new terms make it a competitive contract within the Colonial Athletic Association and nationally in the FCS."

A 1993 graduate of Towson, Ambrose was named as the Tigers' fourth head coach prior to the 2009 season. Over the last three seasons, he has guided the Tigers to a 29-10 record that includes a 19-5 CAA record, two CAA championships and two NCAA FCS appearances.

In 2013, Ambrose guided the Tigers to a berth in the NCAA FCS championship game with wins over No. 9 Fordham, No. 2 Eastern Illinois and No. 3 Eastern Washington. Towson was an NCAA FCS Top Ten team all season and earned its first win over an FBS team with a 33-18 victory over Connecticut in the season opener.

Towson was also named as the unanimous winner of the Lambert Meadowlands Award presented to the top FCS team in the East.

"It is an honor to serve as the head football coach at Towson University and to be a part of our great community," says Ambrose. "In the past five years, we have worked hard to be strong representatives of Towson University, the town of Towson, and the city of Baltimore."

He added, "I would like to thank Athletic Director Tim Leonard and President Maravene Loeschke for providing me, my staff and my family the opportunity to continue what we have started. This is my home and I am grateful to be able to continue to call myself the head football coach at Towson University. I am proud to be a Tiger."

In 2011, Ambrose was honored as the winner of the Eddie Robinson Award, presented to the top football coach in NCAA FCS. He was also honored as the CAA Coach of the Year and the American Football Coaches Association District Coach of the Year.